


Apocalypse

by starwrite_er



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, Nuclear Apocalypse, apocalypse!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-24 01:15:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13202562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starwrite_er/pseuds/starwrite_er
Summary: Years after the beginning of a nuclear apocalypse, you find yourself running away from civilisation with someone else who’s found themselves contaminated.





	Apocalypse

**Author's Note:**

> Initially posted this on my tumblr back in June, figured I’d post it here

The sun beats down relentlessly on the scorched earth. It’s been a long time since the world ‘ended’. From the ashes rose a broken civilisation, torn apart by two factions - the Resistance and the First Order.

It’s hard to remember what the world once was like. The radioactive fires that burned our skies impacted everyone. Now, as a result of humanity’s mistakes, the equator is a barren wasteland, the arctic a thick rainforest atop ancient sheets of ice. The climates of our world changed and mutated in order to fit. I’ve found myself trekking across one of the many uninhabited deserts of our planet.  
Still, I walk on.

Eventually I stumble upon a rundown settlement. The inhabitants are quiet, bodies covered to protect them from the blazing sun and biting cold. I find a trader in the middle of the village: a bloated man showing signs of having overcome radiation sickness. I watch the villagers hand over bits and pieces of scavenged objects in turn for sparse rations.

I’m taking a long drink from my pouch of water when I spot the familiar white uniforms of the First Order troops.

"Shit.“ I mumble, ducking out of the line of sight. I peek out from behind cover as they line people up, using a specialised scanner to check for radiation levels.

My breath catches in my throat as I watch them pull a man from the row. He cries out as a troop pulls out a gun and unhesitatingly fires at him.

There’s no blood. Of course not. They designed these weapons to cauterise the wound they create. Wouldn’t want to contaminate the area with someone’s blood, would you?

A girl at the end of the row starts squirming, seeming to be struggling to get away. Stupid. If you knew you had radiation sickness, you should have left before the First Order checked.

I feel the metal of a gun pressed against the back of my head. The distorted voice of an FO troop orders me to stand, shoving me towards the lineup.

"Captain, this one was trying to avoid the checkup. What are your orders?” They ask their squad leader. Though their face is obscured by a white helmet, I feel their calculating gaze on me.

"Check them.“ They order. My heart sinks as I listen to the scanner beep as it reads my radiation level. I feel my stomach twist as the machine buzzes, alerting them of my contamination.

Goddamn mutated beasts, ruining my life with a single bite.

I make eye contact with the girl that was subtly struggling earlier. The fear is clear in her eyes, sweat beading on her forehead.

The troop’s gun is pushed against the back of my head. I squeeze my eyes closed.

A thump.

No shot.

My eyes snap open, taking in the sight of the girl fighting off the troops. I take advantage of their distraction to kick down my executor, snatching away their gun and turning the tables.

Now armed, I make quick work of the troops coming for the girl. I grab her hand, and we run.

It’s my way of thanking her for helping me.

And so we run, and run, and run. Out in the desert, with no supplies, the First Order troops stop following us, leaving us to the mercy of the radioactive elements.

As our pace slows, we pull our hands away from one another. My heart is in my throat, the adrenaline wearing off.

At least I got a gun out of it.

"Who are you?” The woman demands. I turn and face her, only now taking a good look at her. With an earnest face betraying her naivety and uncertainty, I question how she’s lasted.

"My name’s Y/N,“ I tell her. "Why’d you help me?”

"I-I’m Rey.“ She seems almost hesitant, opting to avoid my question.

The silence that falls between us is heavy. I recall how I thought her to be stupid, and guilt weighs upon me.

"Thank you.” I say eventually, breaking the silence as the sun dips below the horizon, painting the sky red. She glances at me, nodding as fiddles with a staff.

I bite my lip, my tough exterior fading fast as I’m faced with this innocent girl.

"How’d you get contaminated?“ I ask. She looks at me, seeming surprised. "What? You weren’t exactly subtle, and you kinda gave it away when you picked a fight with the FO troops.”

"I found a Bee-Bee,“ She explains. I raise a brow. Usually Bee-Bees - mutated hounds - are only found around Resistance members. I remember them from my time at a Resistance base. They were loyal creatures, never found far from the soldiers they accompanied. "I tried to send it away, but it followed me.” I can fill in the gaps pretty easily. Seems she just got contaminated from being too kind to a stray.

I hum in response. “I ran into a pack of mutates on the outskirts of one of the North-Western radiation zones,” I tell her, pulling up my sleeve to show a slowly healing bite. “One of them got me. Haven’t come down with the sickness yet, though.”

The silence between us is more comfortable now. I come to a stop, taking a seat on the dusty ground.

"What are you doing?“ Rey asks. I pat the ground besides me.

"Tell me, have you left that village since this all began?” I ask as she sits next to me.

"I’ve been waiting for my parents to come back for a long time.“ Is all she says, head hung, strands of brown hair falling in her face. Both sadness and hopeless optimism lace her words.

"Well, it looks like we’re going to be stuck together for a while, so,” I begin, brushing the hair from her face. “You ever seen an arctic rainforest?”

"I’ve basically forgotten what green looks like.“ She admits, a shy smile slipping onto her face. It’s pretty.

"Let’s get going there in the morning, huh? How about it?” I smile, offering my hand for her to shake.

For just a moment as she contemplates my offer, I find myself thinking of the old Resistance base. I wonder what it would be like to go back, maybe even with Rey. I wonder what the reaction of my old friends would be like, people like Zoe and Iylla, and all my comrades. I wonder what it would be like to enjoy the company of mutates again instead of fearing them.

She takes my hand, and after so long getting along by myself, I find myself vaguely hesitant to let her go.


End file.
